Protective panty with scultetus binder feature



Jan. 4, 1955 v, LARKlNs 2,698,620

PROTECTIVE PANTY WITH SCULTETUS BINDER FEATURE Filed Aug. 4, 1953 I IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent PROTECTIVE PANTY WITH SCULTETUS BINDER FEATURE Vietta A. Larkins, Wheaton, 111. Application August 4, 1953, Serial No. 372,301 6 Claims. (Cl. 128-287) This invention relates to protective panties with scultetus binder features and has for its principal object the provision of a new and improved device of this kind.

The main object of the invention is to provide a protective panty having scultetus binder features and capable of retaining in place surgical dressings and pads,'and also for protecting involuntary patients.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective panty which may be laundered and sterilized in the ordinary manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective panty which can be made at low cost without sacrificing quality.

Other objects of the invention not specifically mentioned here will be apparent from the description and claims which follow, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example and in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the panty;

Fig. 2 is a front view showing the panty partially in place upon the patient; and

Fig. 3 is a side view showing the panty completely in place.

Following surgery many patients become wholly involuntary and heretofore have oftentimes been required to remain in bed though otherwise able to be up and around, for the reason that there has not been any alto-- gether satisfactory device for keeping the patient dry. This is particularly true following prostotectomies and cholostomies. Also, mental patients sometimes become wholly involuntary and furthermore, if it is possible for them to do so, will oftentimes remove protective devices that may be placed upon them.

Heretofore protection of such patients has consisted mainly in diapers which in the case of surgical patients fail to hold necessary surgical dressings and pads properly in place. Oftentimes protective panties, composed of rubber or moistureproof plastic material, have also been used, but their use has not been altogether satisfactory.

To be satisfactory for use in a hospital, any protective device of this nature must be capable of being laundered and sterilized by ordinary methods, and the devices 'of the prior art have been particularly lacking in this regard.

The device of the present invention constitutes a combined scultetus binder and protective panty, and when composed of suitable waterproof material is capable of properly holding in place necessary surgical dressings and pads, is capable of keeping the patient dry, and can be laundered and sterilized in the ordinary manner. The garment is simple, of low cost, and can be securedjn place upon the patient in such manner that the fastemng means .are relatively inaccessible, making it difiicult, if not impossible, for a mental patient to remove the garment.

Preferably, the garment of the present invention 1s made from a sanitary sheeting material which, although it is waterproof, nevertheless has soft absorbent surfaces similar in appearance and feel to flannelette. This material, which may be said to be surface absorbent, can be laundered, sterilized and dried in accordance with ordinary methods. It is thoroughly waterproof and not unduly expensive. Although the teachings of the present invention may be applied to a garment made from other materials of different types, materials having the above characteristics are much preferred.

As will be seen from the drawing, the garment comprises a back portion 1, a crotch portion 2, and a front portion 3. Extending laterally from the edges of the back ICC portion 1 are side flaps 4 and 5 each comprising a rectangular strip projecting lengthwise from the side of the back portion and alongside of the other strips. As shown, the garment contains four such strips 4 and number of strips may be varied within the teachings of the invention.

Secured to the outside of the back portion 1 are'fasteners 6 preferably consisting of a buckle that cannot be too easily manipulated, which is secured to the garment by a tape fastened thereon by sewing. The crotch portion 2 of the garment is narrowed and provided with arcuate edges 7 that blend into adjacent and similar edges of the front and back portions for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained. The front portion 3 is similar in shape to the back portion and is provided with tapes 8 projecting from the edges thereof and secured thereto preferably by sewing. Preferably, though not necessarily, the side of the front portion opposite the crotch portion 2 contains pleats 9 which serve to shorten that side thereby to better enable the garment to be fitted to the patient.

When composed of sanitary sheeting material that contains a waterproof central strata from the opposite surfaces of which non-Waterproof nap extends, the garment is soft and when in contact with the patient is not unduly hot in warm weather or cold and clammy in cold weather. The non-moistureproof nap enables a considerable amount of moisture to be absorbed by the garment withgut penetrating completely through it, thereby to escape rom it.

As will be seen in Fig. 2, the back portion 1 of the garment is placed under the patient and the flaps 4 and 5 interfolded together in a weaving-like manner over the abdomen of the patient and surgical dressings and pads which may be placed thereupon. The plurality of strips permit adjusting the binder accurately to the contour of the abdomen and pads so as to securely bind the dressings and pads in place. If desired, the overlapping ends of the strips 4 and 5 may be secured in any preferred manner such as by safety pins 10.

After the strips 4 and 5 have been secured in place, the front portion 3 is brought up over the binder thus formed and tapes 8 registered with the buckles 6 to secure the garment in place.

As will be seen in Fig. 3, the junction of the tapes and buckles is located well towards the rear of the patient but not directly in back of the garment, and in this position it will be diflicult, if not impossible, for the patient to unfasten and remove the garment should be attempt to do so.

Preferably the garment is of such length that when in position on the patient, as shown in Fig. 3, the top edge of the garment falls well above the hips, and since the pleats in the front section shorten the length of that section, snug fit to the body at the top edge of the garment can easily be obtained. The arcuate edges of the crotch portion and adjacent sections of the front and back portions fit snugly against the legs of the patient thereby preventing leakage out of the garment at these points.

When the garment is made of such dimensions as to accurately fit it to the patient, it is comfortable and capable of maintaining the patient dry even though wholly involuntary. When soiled, the garment can be laundered with other badly soiled materials through the ordinary washing and drying processes commonly employed in hospitals. When dried in a mechanical drier that tumbles its contents during drying, the surface nap of the garment when dry will be soft and fluify, and when in place upon the patient will not be unduly warm in warm weather or cold and clammy in cooler weather. When composed of a material capable of being sterilized in an autoclave, the garment can be thoroughly sterilized and thus maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.

In the case of involuntary mental patients, when no surgical dressings are involved, it is contemplated that the scultetus binder features of the garment may be advantageously omitted; and while it is preferable that the garment be composed of a waterproof surface absorbent material as described, it is also contemplated that in certain instances the teachings of the invention will be applied to garments composed of other materials. While buckles and tapes are a preferred form of fastening device for the garment, the use of other fastening devices, such as Patented Jan. 4, 1955.,

5, but the tie tapes,- snaps andbuttons, is contemplated. In cases where -the-patient-is'apt*tochange"in*size*fromday-to dayy buckles or tie tapes are preferable since such devices permit ready adjustment of the" garment.

Having: thus: complied: iwth; thie statutes: and; shown? amclldescribed azpreferredzembotlimentz of imy invention v whzttz ilzconsidertnew'andzdesirestoirhavesprotectedibwLete tersz Patent-z is: pointed: out inn theta appended; claimsz.

What .is; claimed: is:..

1. A protective panty for involuntary patients; com

posed of: at. soft; surface;absorbenhpwaterproofi material capableofbeingzlaunderect and sterilizeiianci' comprisingz': a back portion; side; flaps; extending: from: the: opposite:

edges; of: said back portion and consisting: ofiiaepluralityz'of ing ITICKHSOILSaid frontandtbaclciportions:engageablemne with: the other. to: secure. the binders and edgeslin'. place with. thecrotch portionlof. the: front and sbackzpportions;

snugly embracing; the"legsrofither patientz 2.. A protective parity as claimediin claim; la in which: each:side flap on theback membevcontainstfour; strips:

eachiofzwhich is rectangular: in; shape;

4.. 3. A protective panty as claimed in claim 1, in which tileedgeof-- the front -port1on-oppositethe-crotch p0rtionis pleated so as to permit more accurate forming of the Ibinder to the contour of the patients body above the ips.

4. A protective panty as claimed in claim 1, in which the fastening means on theback portion are buckles located rearwardly of the sides of'the patient so as to be inaccessible for-v manipulation by a mentals patientt.

51' A" protective panty as. claimed in claim 1, in which the material from which it is made has a central strata that is waterproof-and-surfaceznap, which. render it soft feeling and surface absorbent.

6. A..protective-=pantyvas claimediin'claim l, which is long enough along the median line, through the back, crotch and front portions; so that when placed upon the patient the upper edges of the back and front portions will lie above the patients hips.

References: Cited in the file of this: patent UNITED STATES PATENTS.

3412;494 Balwin ..'May;25, 1886 580,406 Kleinert- Apr. 1-3,,[1897 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,020,225 France Nov; 12,; 1-952. 

